A Herpes-Simplex-Virus Derivative Produced Relatively Durable Response in Tumors of Advanced Melanoma

Hensin Tsao, MD, PhD reviewing Andtbacka RHI et al. J Clin Oncol 2015 Sep 1.

With the pipeline of novel immune checkpoint therapies for melanoma flowing, a new twist on immunotherapy has arrived.

Talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC) is a herpes-simplex-virus derivative intended to selectively replicate within tumors and produce granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), which enhances immune responses.

In 436 patients with injection-accessible tumors of unresectable advanced melanoma, T-VEC was compared with GM-CSF to see which agent delivered more durable response. Overall survival and overall response rates were also compared. Significantly more T-VEC recipients than GM-CSF recipients achieved a response that endured 6 or more months. In addition, the overall response rate was higher among T-VEC recipients. Median overall survival was 23 months with T-VEC, versus 19 months with GM-CSF. Time to treatment failure was longer in the T-VEC group. Patients with earlier-stage and treatment-naive disease had the most notably better response to T-VEC. The most common adverse effects were flulike symptoms; cellulitis was the only grade 3 or 4 adverse event to occur in more than 2% of T-VEC recipients (6 patients).

Citation(s):

Andtbacka RHI et al. Talimogene laherparepvec improves durable response rate in patients with advanced melanoma. J Clin Oncol 2015 Sep 1; 33:2780.